One Letter One Reunion
by BerenaForLife17
Summary: Bernie has gone to Kiev leaving heartbreak in her wake but also a letter, a letter telling Serena everything she needed to know.


It's been a week since Bernie had left for Ukraine and it had been the hardest week of Serena's life to date. She had been unable enter the office she had shared with Bernie for all these months, the memories of the kiss and the heartache of Bernie's news was too much for Serena to bare.

"Serena I know you're going to be angry at me but I found this." Raf was holding an envelope addressed to Serena is Bernie's familiar handwriting. It was clearly a letter. Serena takes deep breath

"It was on the floor of your office the day Bernie left. I didn't want the cleaners to throw it away so I took it for safe keeping. I wouldn't have kept it for this long but I didn't know if you were up to reading it. I'm sorry" Serena looks at her friend and gently takes the envelope from the Scotsman nodding her head sadly 

"It's okay Raf. I'm not angry. You were probably right to keep it from me. I haven't exactly been myself lately." Serena turns her head and looks at the office door. She knew she had to face her demons sometime and it may as well be now. "Please make sure no one disturbs me?" The Scotsman nods his head smiling sadly as he watches Serena walk slowly towards her office. The brunette swallows the lump in the throat as she opens the door to the office. All she saw was Bernie, all she could smell was that unique mixture of cigarettes and coffee. It was all Bernie. "Damn you Wolfe..." Serena enters the office and closes the door throwing on the lights. She takes quick glance at Bernie's side of the desk as she sits down on her own side. She places the envelope down on her desk taking a deep breath. She was terrified about it might say, what impact it could have. She was angry at Bernie, she was damned angry at her but even the anger wasn't enough to shield her from the fact she was hopelessly in love with the blonde and if she was to walk through the door right now that she wouldn't just let the anger slip away and forgive her in a heartbeat. "I can't. Not yet" Serena picks up the letter, putting it in the top drawer of her desk "I'm still too bloody angry at you" She mutters to the empty chair opposite her

25.10.16

It had been nearly a month since Bernie had left for a secondment and Serena had been kept busy by the re-appearance of her ex Robbie Metcalfe. He just wouldn't take no for an answer and Serena was tired of it. It was time to set him straight

"All I'm asking for is another chance Serena you know you've missed me" He was insufferable. Serena was sure Raf was on the verge of punching him before but she had calmed the Scot down and pointed him in the direction of a patient

"Robbie what part of I'm not interested don't you understand?" Serena had guided them to her office. She now had a picture of Bernie thanks to Cameron, who was now an F1 on AAU. She thought it would have been awkward but it hadn't been. Cameron was very much his mother's son and he and Serena had bonded over their mutual anger and disappointment at Bernie's decision to leave 

"One dinner." Cameron was also sick of Robbie's pestering of Serena and had seen the pair head into the office and stalks after them. He was very much his mother's son when it came to protecting the people he cared about "That's all I'm asking for"

"What part of get lost don't you get Officer Metcalfe." Cameron pushes his way past Robbie and stands a little on front of Serena. "Ms Campbell has expressed her dis-interest in you so take a hint"

"It's alright Cameron I can handle this" Serena could see Bernie's fire in Cameron. A part of her was grateful he had stepped in to help "Robbie. I'm not interested because you don't interest me. I'm in love with someone else so please just leave me alone" Robbie finally takes the hint and walks out of the office in a huff. Cameron shakes his head and turns to look at Serena

"He should be thankful my mum wasn't here." Serena chuckles and pats the young man's shoulder before slumping into her chair. She opens the top drawer and takes out the letter she had been unable to read until now "That's mum's handwriting"

"Yes. She wrote this the day she left for Kiev... I've been too angry at her to read it. Until now." Serena looks at the young man she had grown to admire and smiles wistfully "You reminded me how much I miss her. You're so like her. Same fire."

"So I've been told. I'll leave you to it" Cameron smiles before turning on heel leaving the office, he closes the door behind me. Serena takes a deep breath and opens the letter unfolding the contents.

 _'Dear Serena,_

 _I know how angry you must be at me, I don't blame you. I'm angry at myself. But this is me, this is what I do when I get scared I run. I wasn't expecting your admission of love and it threw me into a loop. I thought, perhaps, my accepting the offer would be the best thing for both of us. For you: a chance for you to be absolutely sure of you what you want and of how you feel. For me: a chance to get my head straight, to give myself time to accept what I already know. I love you. I have since the moment I laid eyes on you but at this moment, with my divorce I can't risk hurting you more than I already have._

 _I have no right to ask for your forgiveness nor your love but if you could find it in yourself to give me both upon my return I will gladly accept. You'll always be my first port of call and I will always have your back. You said once that love was defending was the indefensible and I know my actions are just that. I will come back and I will fight every moment, of every day to make us work._

 _I love you Serena Campbell_

 _Yours, always_

 _Bernie'_

Serena wipes away the tears that were falling freely from her eyes and presses the letter close to her chest. Bernie certainly had a way with words when she wanted. It made Serena fall that little bit more in love with the blonde who had turned her life upside down. "God Bernie... which romantic novel did you escape from?"

"Whichever one you want me to" Serena's head snaps up so fast she could have suffered whiplash. She lets the letter slip from her hands onto the desk as her eyes take in the sight of Bernie Wolfe standing in the doorway with her holdall "I am so so sorry Serena"

"Did you mean this?" Serena picks up the letter shakily taking deep breathes. She couldn't believe the blonde was here. Bernie nods her head and smiles weakly. She was well aware of the eyes staring at her from the ward. She managed to sneak in without being seen but she knew it wouldn't last long

"Every word." Bernie moves closer to Serena putting her holdall down by her desk "I've been an idiot and I know I don't deserve your forgiveness... I can't really forgive myself for leaving you but I will try and earn your forgiveness from now. I will try and be worthy of you"

"Bernie don't you see?" Serena stands from her chair and takes one of Bernie's hands in hers, smiling lovingly at the blonde in front of her "You already are worthy. I do forgive you after all what's love without forgiveness? And I do love you. That has never changed and I doubt it ever will. But if you ever pull something like that again I'll make you wish you were back in the field" Bernie chuckles letting tears from her eyes. She couldn't believe how lucky she was. How loved she felt. Serena was the one and she knew that now

"I won't run from you again I promise" Bernie wraps her free arm around Serena pulling her flush against her "Will you come to dinner?"

"I'd love to. Now shut up and kiss me" Bernie chuckles nervously at Serena's words but doesn't hesitate in pressing her lips against her love's. They were together now and they would never let anything tear them apart. Not now, not ever.


End file.
